Search Results for: 2015-12-14

In the wake of the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, many of Israel’s supporters, myself included, have succumbed to the understandable impulse for violent retribution. Israel is a land that I love, both culturally as a Jew — and third-generation Holocaust survivor — and spiritually as an ordained cantor. It follows that [...]

The Indian Supreme Court announced Friday it will take up a batch of petitions on Tuesday, which seek to challenge the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and the recently introduced Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. The CAA is an Indian law that fast-tracks citizenship for persecuted minorities from neighboring countries. Also, the Indian government introduced [...]

Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, does not shy away from tough questions. Though many in a position such as his might shy away from argument, Rae seems to relish the opportunity to engage in some intellectual sparring. It was in this context that I requested an interview as Canada grapples with multiple [...]

“Where there were great military actions, there lies whitening now the jawbone of an ass.” Saint-John Perse (French poet, 1887-1975) As film, the core importance of “Oppenheimer” lies in its messages on human survival. The personal, emotional and romantic aspects of the film are captivating, to be sure, but they are less consequential than any [...]

The current conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine raises significant issues of international law and policy. This is part one in an anticipated two-part series that will discuss some of the relevant legal questions before the International Criminal Court (ICC; Part I) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ; Part II).  With both courts located in [...]

United Nations human rights experts Monday hailed lawyers in Iran for their unwavering and courageous commitment to the rule of law ahead of the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, which is observed January 24. The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human [...]

The governments of Mexico and Chile released a joint statement Thursday calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to look into possible crimes occurring in Gaza amidst the Israel-Hamas war. The countries urged the ICC to investigate due to the escalating violence against civilians since Hamas’s October 7 attacks. They further explained that ICC intervention [...]

As we prepare to usher in 2024, the outlook on Alabama’s administration of the death penalty holds many terrible knowns, and an even greater number of grim unknowns. At the top of any capital punishment-watcher’s list: Is Alabama really going to move forward with the first state-sanctioned nitrogen gassing execution in US history? If all goes according [...]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mali announced it is recalling its ambassador in Algiers “for consultation with immediate effect” in a statement after Algerian officials criticized the recent escalating violence in Mali, fuelling tensions between both countries. The decision came after the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, summoned the ambassador of Mali [...]

A Japanese district court delivered its verdict on Tuesday in the criminal case against three ex-soldiers accused of sexually assaulting their female colleague, Rina Gonoi, in 2021. The accused were found guilty of “forcible indecency” under Article 176 of the Japanese Penal Code in the Fukushima District Court and received two-year prison sentences, suspended for four [...]